So I made these pumpkin snickerdoodle latte cupcakes today. They were okay. I love pumpkin spice lattes. I love snickerdoodles. I love cupcakes. But it didn't really work for me. They didn't taste like PSLs. Or snickerdoodles. I mean, they were decent, but the espresso flavor does not shine through. The pumpkin flavor doesn't shine. The butter somehow doesn't work as well as oil tends to in pumpkin receipes. They were dry.
Maybe they will be better tomorrow.
However, as a vehicle for cream cheese frosting, they serve their purpose. Looking at that recipe again, I just realized there was supposed to be cinnamon in the frosting. I have done that before and like it but it wouldn't have helped the cupcakes. Also, that recipe as made makes a TON of frosting. I used half of the cream cheese, half of the butter and a third of the powdered sugar, frosted the cupcakes generously (but not piped that high) and there was still some leftover. I also didn't sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar. As my dad said, "Maybe a little cinnamon -- they don't need more sugar." And I say that as someone who loves sugar.
In other news, I had my first gingerbread latte of the season today. My brother and I went to Harris Teeter to get coffee and almond paste and Guinness and stopped for Starbucks. We were debating which winter drink to get. I was going for gingerbread but then HE got gingerbread and at the last minute I went with a caramel brulee latte. Then we traded sips.
"Oh, I forgot how good that caramel is," said my brother.
"I did NOT forget how good the gingerbread is," I said. "I should have gotten that."
"No, the flavor of yours is much better," he said.
We traded.
And finally, it's not the holidays until you listen to Rocky Mountain Christmas. Best Christmas album ever. John Denver rocks. HA.
